Product: Magenta 4
Developer: Acustica Audio
Price (MSRP): Special pre-sale price at €169.15 (15%OFF) for the first four weeks after release or until first official version is released. The price after the pre-sale period will be €199.
Plug-in Format(s): VST2, AU, AAX
System Requirements (Windows): Windows 7 - Windows 10
System Requirements (OSX): OSX 10.8 - OSX 10.13
MAGENTA4 Commercial web-page: http://www.acustica-audio.com/store/products/magenta
MAGENTA4 Trial web-page: http://www.acustica-audio.com/store/pro ... enta-trial

MAGENTA is one of the most popular plugins that Acustica has ever released. This new version MAGENTA4 far surpasses its predecessors. This upgrade is characterized by a GUI restyling, an unrivalled sound quality, with a much lower CPU strain, a completely resampled EQ section, the inclusion of plenty of highly sought after devices, and a new engine based on the latest technological developments of our revolutionary CORE 12. Magenta 4 is a real digital leap that has led to an incomparable sound.

We are proud to be giving this upgrade completely free of charge to all of our loyal customers who already own a Magenta 3 license!

CORE 12 allows performance improvements for each plug-in of the Acqua Effects series, while at the same time preserving all the features already supported in previous CORE upgrades.

For each plug-in included in the Magenta4 suite there is a "Standard" version and an alternative "ZL"* version which operates at *zero latency, at the cost of extra processing resources, it is therefore most suitable to use when tracking.

MAGENTA4 PREAMP:
Dynamically emulates the frequency, phase and harmonic distortion of the original hardware and includes the following models.

MAGENTA4 MONO EQUALIZER:
This is a lighter version of the stereo EQ. Its main restriction is the absence of EQ model B per each band and that it can only process both L & R channels in identical way (hence referred to as 'mono' version, even though it can be used on stereo sources)

* Note that bandwidth control has a big impact on the maximum amount of gain that the EQ can deliver. This is identical to the hardware behavior. In shelf mode it also affects the shelf curve and at the rightmost setting, it adds additional resonance at the cut-off frequency.

MAGENTA4 STEREO EQUALIZER:
A full dual channel version with independent controls for each channel and MS option.

* Note that bandwidth control has a big impact on the maximum amount of gain that the EQ can deliver. This is identical to the hardware behavior. In shelf mode it also affects the shelf curve and at the rightmost setting it adds additional resonance at the cut-off frequency.
** Note that this model EQ does not provide both cut and boost options for each band, and it also has a fixed bandwidth.
MAGENTA4 COMPRESSOR MONO:
This unit provides 5 different models of compression and similarly to the way the EQ mono and stereo versions differ, it is lighter on the CPU compared to the Stereo version.

• ATTACK: from slow to fast, varying for each model.
• RECOVERY: from slow to fast, varying for each model.
• SHMOD: Adjustable Attack Shape: from Min to Max. NORM position gives the original attack time of the modeled compressor. The 10 o'clock position gives the fastest curve setting. When going down to MIN, a further look-ahead function is enabled. The range/amount of look-ahead goes from 0 to 4 milliseconds. Values above NORM slow down the attack time.
• INPUT TRIM: from -24dB to 24dB. This function allows for a ‘one knob’ internal gain staging control by automatically linking input and output gain stages with an inverse law.
• THRESHOLD: from Min to Max.
• FILTER: Side-chain filter: off or HPF ranging from 50 Hz to 250 Hz.
• MAKE UP: Standard post-compression make up gain with up to 24dB of boost.
• MIX: Dry/Wet Mix for parallel compression: from 0 to 100%.
• SC: External Side-chain: off or on.
• GAIN REDUCTION METER: with up to 36dB of gain reduction scale.
• COMPRESSION MODEL SELECTOR: B, C1, C2, D1, D2. (B = vari-mu opto valve comp, C1 = vari-mu valve comp, C2 = vari-mu valve limiter, D1 = transistor opto comp/limiter, D2 = FET comp).

MAGENTA4 COMPRESSOR STEREO:
This unit provides 5 different models of compression. Separate control over the L & R channels is possible at the expense of a higher CPU consumption.

• PREAMP: Hardware compressor pass-through tone simulation of device C: on and off. Dynamically emulates the frequency, phase and harmonic distortion of the original hardware.
• ATTACK: from slow to fast, varying for each model.
• RECOVERY: from slow to fast, varying for each model.
• SHMOD: Adjustable Attack Shape: from Min to Max. NORM position gives the original attack time of the modeled compressor. The 10 o'clock position gives the fastest curve setting. When going down to MIN, a further look-ahead function is enabled. The range/amount of look-ahead goes from 0 to 4 milliseconds. Values above NORM slow down the attack time.
• INPUT TRIM: from -24dB to 24dB. This function allows for a ‘one knob’ internal gain staging control by automatically linking input and output gain stages with an inverse law.
• THRESHOLD: from Min to Max.
• FILTER: Side-chain filter: off or HPF ranging from 50 Hz to 250 Hz.
• MAKE UP: Standard post-compression make up gain with up gain with up to 24dB of boost.
• MIX: Dry/Wet Mix for parallel compression: from 0 to 100%.
• SC: External Side-chain: off or on.
• GAIN REDUCTION METERS: with up to 36dB of gain reduction scale for each channel.
• INPUT AND OUTPUT STEREO METERS: with a 36dB scale for each channel.
• CL: links the controls for the left and right channels.
• STEREOLINK: from off to 100%.
• COMPRESSION MODELS SELECTOR: B, C1, C2, D1, D2. (B = vari-mu opto valve comp, C1 = vari-mu valve comp, C2 = vari-mu valve limiter, D1 = transistor opto comp/limiter, D2 = FET comp).

* Note that bandwidth control has a big impact on the maximum amount of gain that the EQ can deliver. This is identical to the hardware behavior. In shelf mode it also affects the shelf curve and at the rightmost setting it adds additional resonance at the cut-off frequency.
** Note that this model EQ does not provide both cut and boost options for each band, and it also has a fixed bandwidth.

LICENSING:

• Challenge-response authorization system allowing activation for two computers per license.
• The trial version is fully functional for a duration of four weeks. Trial license allows the activation of two computers per license.

NOTE: • Click on the little gear-like icon on the top right of Aquarius and chose to go to the 'Settings' page. In this page go to the 'Coupons' tab. Enter the Activation code: “LASTTRIALS” to automatically activate ALL Acustica trials available in Aquarius.

PRICE AND AVAILABILITY:

• MAGENTA4 commercial version: €199.00. Available as a digital download immediately after payment. Special pre-sale price at €169.15 (15%OFF) for the first four weeks after release.
• MAGENTA4 Trial version: free 4 week test license. Available as a digital download immediately after €0.00 payment.

IF ANYTHING GOES WRONG?
If you are a registered client of Acustica Audio and you need to contact our support service, please open a support ticket from your account.
To do this go to:https://www.acustica-audio.com > log-in > support > New support ticket
To check ticket status go to:https://www.acustica-audio.com > log-in > support > Check ticket status

Big congrats to the whole Team on this awesome, and long awaited Magenta upgrade. This is the direction to go AA!!
In all senses really wonderful sounding, super fast responding. I’m looking so much forward to be working with the Suite, getting more familiar with all the available characteristics.

That said, I’m experiencing some strange behavior with the internal side-chain function(s).
On some (not all) compressor models, activating the SC appears to shut off the meter and simply stop working.

Ticket raised, video and picts here if anyone’s interested: Magenta4_Comp-SC (mp4)
Is it supposed to behave like this ??

EDIT: Thanks for the fixes and the blue skin!

-
About the VU meters, they all seem to have an offset of 1-2 dBu (not RMS measured). Isn't really problem, just an observation.

About the look of the VU meter in Stereo Comp I wish they can be tightened up a bit, feels blurry/smeared and demanding for (my) eyes

System, as in signature below.

Last edited by Phelix on Thu Aug 02, 2018 1:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.